Why the COVID-19 response needs International Relations

Area of Science:

• Global Health Security
• International Relations
• Political Science

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the significant influence of political factors on global health responses.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has attempted to coordinate international epidemic management amidst political complexities.
• Traditional approaches to separating public health from politics are insufficient for effective epidemic control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for the integration of International Relations (IR) knowledge into the WHO's framework for epidemic control.
• To demonstrate the necessity of political analysis in understanding and managing global health crises like COVID-19.
• To provide practical insights for incorporating IR methods into public health decision-making and policy coordination.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the political drivers influencing national responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Review of historical WHO interactions with member states' political agendas.
• Identification of entry points for applying International Relations theories and diplomatic expertise to public health challenges.

Main Results:

• The WHO has always been influenced by the politics of its member states, making a purely technical approach obsolete.
• International Relations offers valuable analytical tools to understand and navigate the political landscape of epidemic response.
• Embracing political analysis can enhance the WHO's effectiveness in coordinating global health strategies.

Conclusions:

• The WHO must actively engage with foreign policy and diplomatic expertise to effectively manage global health crises.
• Integrating political analysis into public health decision-making is crucial for coordinated international cooperation against pandemics.
• A primer is offered for organizations involved in global health to adopt political analysis in their response strategies.